Mechanical Engineer

Tau • Redwood City, CA

11d • $91,000 - $214,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Tau is a hardtech company in Redwood City focused on fixing power conversion technology for data centers, EVs, and energy systems. We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to take mechanical designs to automotive-grade production. This role requires a focus on qualification, reliability, and durability, ensuring designs meet automotive standards and can be manufactured repeatably at volume. The ideal candidate is practical, data-driven, communicates proactively, and prioritizes program needs over personal interest. We are open to a range of seniority levels, with competence being the primary hiring criterion. The role involves mechanical design, analysis, validation, production scaling, and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Several years developing complex electromechanical, powertrain, rotating-machinery, or similarly demanding hardware, ideally including exposure to automotive qualification or production scaling.
• Working knowledge of mechanical design of complex electromechanical systems
• Working knowledge of CAD, engineering drawings, design documentation
• Working knowledge of GD&T and tolerance-stack analysis
• Working knowledge of First-principles analysis and FEA
• Working knowledge of rotor dynamics, fatigue, or thermal analysis
• Working knowledge of DVP/DVP&R and validation
• Working knowledge of automotive qualification standards (AEC-Q, ISO 16750, or similar)
• Working knowledge of DFMEA or equivalent risk assessment
• Working knowledge of DFM, DFA, and common manufacturing processes at volume
• Working knowledge of Root-cause analysis and structured problem solving
• Defend a design decision with data
• Understand that automotive standards aren't a formality
• Communicate problems before they become surprises
• Think in systems. Optimize the product before the subsystem.
• Make tradeoffs that improve the complete system.
• Apply the rigor the risk requires.
• Decide when enough evidence exists—and change course when better evidence emerges.
• Design for manufacturing, validation, reliability, serviceability, safety, and cost from the beginning.
• Raise the standard. Leave the products, engineering systems, and people around you better than you found them.
• Deliver against the spec, including automotive qualification requirements, and say something the moment it's at risk.
• Have real input into design decisions and pushback rights when a spec seems wrong
• Consistently deliver what you said you would, communicate clearly the moment you can't, and stay focused on what the program needs over what's interesting to you personally.

Nice To Haves

• Electric-machine or powertrain experience is a plus but not required.
• Strong backgrounds may also come from transmissions, aerospace, industrial machinery, energy systems, robotics, or any product where mechanical decisions carried real performance and reliability consequences.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical integration of electric machines and powertrain hardware: rotors, stators, housings, shafts, bearings, cooling systems, structures, enclosures, interfaces
• Weigh in on design decisions and specs, not just execute against them
• Produce clear models, drawings, and specifications that others can build from without guessing
• Own DVP/DVP&R that connects requirements, including automotive qualification requirements, to actual evidence
• Run or guide structural, thermal, fatigue, and tolerance analysis at the depth the risk actually requires
• Contribute to DFMEA and design reviews
• Correlate analysis against physical test results
• Take designs from prototype toward automotive-grade production: repeatable, qualifiable, manufacturable at volume
• Apply DFM and DFA throughout, not as a final check
• Produce complete drawings and manufacturing requirements with correct GD&T and tolerancing
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing to resolve quality, cost, and assembly issues at production scale
• Work with Electric Machine Design, Power Electronics, Embedded Software, Controls, Test Systems, Manufacturing, and Program Management
• Communicate requirements, risks, and status without being asked
• Make tradeoffs and decisions visible to the people who need to know, and explain prioritization in terms of what the program actually needs

Benefits

• Annual performance bonus
• Equity
• Other incentive compensation plans
• Flexible time off
• Paid holidays
• Excellent medical, dental, vision & life insurance
• Comprehensive benefits including 401(k), HSA and FSA benefits, commuter benefits and more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level